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geek4 writes "A Dutch company has launched what it calls 'the world's simplest phone,' targeting users who are sick of new-generation models. Only capable of making and receiving calls, John's Phone is dubbed the world's simplest mobile phone, specifically designed for anti-smartphones users. It does not provide any hi-tech features. No apps. No Internet. No camera. No text messaging. All you have to do — in fact, all you can do — is call, talk and hang up."

Funny, I seem to recall TV ads a few years back for a series of phones — "Jitterbug", as it was called — that effectively did just this. Complete with the "old person afraid of smartphones" use case example. Though with screens (just to see the numbers as you dial them).

I think even the now disappearing "basic phones" have some sort of phone book/directory function. That's not mentioned in the summary. Also, I see it has no display of any kind. That is pretty bad. Even if this were an "anti-smartphone" there should be some sort of confirmation of the numbers pressed. That's just silly.

You mean like all those phones made between 1900 and 1989 that only clicked or beeped? Even then you had to have your ear to the speaker.

Hell no. That thing has a tiny 4-way button with OK at the center, and the display is unreadable without backlight or in direct sunlight. These entry-level phones really add nothing of value above pure phone functionality, but what they add still messes up the usability. There's no need for a color screen if you can't make it reflective so that it is readable in full sunlight. There's no need for a 4-way button if you can't make it big enough for man-hands.

In the developing world you can easily get the lowest-end Nokia phones for 15-20, unlocked of course. Although now I have a Nokia N900 that I love very much, in the past I have often bought those super-cheap Nokias because they are inexpensive to replace if I lose one, and they are well-nigh indestructible (drop one from two meters and see it just bounce).

They already did, it's called a Nokia 1100, they've sold quarter of a billion of the things (mostly in poorer countries, but they're available worldwide), and they do indeed cost less than $30 unlocked and unsubsidised.

As I've said a few times, they got basic phones right years ago. Just because you don't hear about them doesn't mean they ceased to exist.